Maurice G. Humphrey

Maurice George Humphrey, 91, of Benton Harbor, died Wednesday April 10, 2002 at Lakeland Continuing Care Center-St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 9:00 A.M. Saturday with Rev. John L. Munson officiating at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Burial will follow at Crystal Springs Cemetery. Friends may call from 6-8 P.M. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Fairplain Presbyterian Church or North Berrien Senior Center Building Fund. Maurice was born on July 31, 1910 in Benton Township to George and Zula (Valentine) Humphrey. He graduated in 1928 from Benton Harbor High School and in 1924 played the trumpet in the high school?s very first band. On October 3, 1931 he married the former Esther Maikowski in Benton Harbor. Maurice spent most of his career in partnership with his father and brother in the Humphrey Insurance Agency which was located in Benton Harbor for 65 years. He retired in 1975. Maurice was a member of the Fairplain Presbyterian Church, a life member of the Benton Harbor Lions Club which he joined in 1939 and served as president in 1962-1963, a member of the Benton Harbor Elks Club, a charter partner of WSJM, charter member of Twin City Barbershoppers where he sang in many chorus?, member of Benton Aires and the Overtones quartet, organizer and charter member of the Twin City Landlords Association, organizer and charter member of the Southwestern Michigan Car Collectors Inc., Past-President of Lake Broadcaster Inc., and Past President of Twin Cities Association of Independent Insurance Agents. Mr. Humphrey is survived by his daughter-Nancy (Tony) Greco of Watervliet; his son-Ronald (Carmen) Humphrey of Benton Harbor; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; his brother-Donald Humphrey of Eau Claire; two sisters-Margaret (Don) Epply of St. Joseph and Helen (Herbert) Noffke of Benton Harbor. Maurice was preceded in death by his wife Esther on August 29, 1989, his brother-in-law Herbert Noffke, his sister-in-law Joan Humphrey, and his special friend Velma McKinney.